Miles Rutherford, Dabba, Danny Potter & Co made a couple of changes to the side that lost insipidly to Potters Bar at Oaklands Park in the league last time out. Lewis Rustell started up top with captain Rob Hutchings and Ryan Davidson as usual either side of centre backs Ben Pashley and Jamie Horncastle, on this occasion, and Kieran Magee between the sticks. Joe Clarke lined up as the holding midfielder behind Lloyd Rowlatt, Emmett Dunn, Ethan Prichard and Bello.
Chi did the double over the Rooks last season winning 3-2 away and 3-0 at Oaklands when Rustell lobbed the visiting keeper from the halfway line.
Here, it was the hosts though who dominated the first 45.
Ryan Bernal got caught offside as the home team pressed early doors before a Bello bomb of a throw went out for a goal kick in the third minute.
Then Lewes’ striker Charlie Walker earned a free-kick and Perri Iandolo forced Man of the Match Magee into a fine save, not for the last time, that he gloved round a post for the game’s opening corner which was hooked away by Pashley.
Next, Kaan Bennett pressurised Magee but the Chi custodian found Horncastle and in a rare mistake Davidson played the ball too long at the other end.
Walker attempted to pick Antonio Morgan 13 minutes in although it went out for a Chichester throw and Dunn fouled Cameron Andrews seconds later.
Rustell then couldn’t keep his footing as Clarke played him in and Horncastle, who ended the game with a nasty bloodied face, made a telling tackle to prevent Walker from scoring.
Prichard presented Rustell with a shooting opportunity on 17 before Davidson conceded a second corner when Clement Asledu whipped in a cross.
Iandolo delivered this only for Morgan’s subsequent cross to get headed clear by the Chi backline.
A Davidson lapse led to Morgan blazing one narrowly over the woodwork before Prichard chipped one into the box which the hosts steered out for a throw.
And then Magee beat Bernal to the ball only for it to spin off him for another corner which Morgan delivered only to be headed out for a Chi goal kick.
In a spell of pressure, the Rooks spurned a golden opportunity to take the lead when Bennet’s hit was saved by Magee who also denied Morgan with a super stop.
Bennet couldn’t beat Magee on the half hour mark and moments later a whistle for an infringement from referee Gerry Heron denied an opener.
The visitors won their first corner on 34 minutes that came to nothing and Hutchings was booked for a foul on Andrews although Iandolo’s set-piece couldn’t pick a player.
Another Lewes move fizzled out as well and Asledu’s throw was consequently cleared before Bernal went over – nothing doing according to Mr Heron.
A slick Chi build up led to Hutchings firing one over and in time added on Morgan earned a corner which Iandolo took once again and the away side headed clear.
Amazingly, it was goalless at the break and Joe Moore replaced Rustell in the interval.
Chichester started more brightly as we got underway again and Moore had a shot charged down following a Prichard corner a couple of minutes in and then another Moore effort was deflected for a corner kick before Moore fizzed one into the side-netting.
The hosts might have broken the deadlock though on 51 when a dangerous Bernal ball into the box evaded everyone and Magee got a glove on another cross from the right which was finally cleared.
Next, Pashley struck a long-ranger off target just ahead of the hour before former Chi player Finlay Chadwick and Andrews were exchanged.
Moore found Prichard who committed a foul and the hosts’ keeper Louis Rogers tipped a wonderful hit from Bello some way out over his crossbar before punching away Hutchings’ resulting corner.
Then Rowlatt dragged one wide in the 62nd minute before Chi were reduced to ten when Dunn’s swipe saw him see red.
Horncastle made an impressive block as Chichester dug in and Lewes shot wide of the mark.
Sub Arezki Hamouchene fired an attempt the wrong side of a post with 18 to go and Bernal hit one over the bar.
Nice stuff from Horncastle instigated a move where Rowlatt found Bello who had strayed offside before Clarke almost caught Rogers out but his shot squirmed under the keeper for a corner.
The only goal of the game came on 82 when Bello broke free with an audacious piece of skill and finished clinically to send the away fans into raptures.
Lewes thought they should have had a penalty when Pashley bundled Walker over who fired straight at Magee moments later after good work from Jack Burchell.
Walker then had a shot blocked by Bello and Magee palmed away the loose ball.
Another penalty shout was waved away as we headed into six minutes of added time and after Theo Bennetts came on for Prichard, Magee comfortably claimed another ball in.
Chichester defended a couple of corners on either side with seconds to spare before the final whistle went.
So, Chi recorded their third clean-sheet in the last four games and moved up to seventh in the league one place behind Lewes.
Next up is an away trip to Whitstable in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday 13th September (Kick Off 3:00pm).
Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Clarke, Horncastle, Pashley, Bello, Dunn, Rustell, Rowlatt, Prichard (Bennetts, Moore, Vigar, Cahusac).
